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Compare Central African Republic (2005) - Somalia (2003)

Compare Central African Republic (2005) z Somalia (2003)

 Central African Republic (2005)Somalia (2003)
 Central African RepublicSomalia
Administrative divisions 14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga 18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed
Age structure 0-14 years: 42.5% (male 813,596/female 802,728)


15-64 years: 54% (male 1,010,696/female 1,041,903)


65 years and over: 3.4% (male 54,345/female 76,629) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,802,154; female 1,792,749)


15-64 years: 52.5% (male 2,120,934; female 2,093,699)


65 years and over: 2.7% (male 93,682; female 121,972) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber cattle, sheep, goats; bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; fish
Airports 50 (2004 est.) 60 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total: 6


over 3,047 m: 4


2438 to 3047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 47


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 10


914 to 1,523 m: 23


under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)
total: 54


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 18


914 to 1,523 m: 30


under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Area total: 622,984 sq km


land: 622,984 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 637,657 sq km


land: 627,337 sq km


water: 10,320 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Texas slightly smaller than Texas
Background The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who has since established a transitional government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the main parties, a wide field of affiliated and independent candidates will contest the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections scheduled for February 2005. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. The SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy have followed for twelve years. In May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American military assistance programs. The regions of Bari and Nugaal and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides towards reconstructing a legitimate, representative government, but has suffered civil strife in 2002. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG), created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti, expires in August 2003 and a new interim government was being created at peace talks held in Kenya. Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting for control of Mogadishu and the other southern regions. Suspicion of Somali links with global terrorism further complicates the picture.
Birth rate 35.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 46.42 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: NA


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Capital Bangui Mogadishu
Climate tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 3,025 km
Constitution passed by referendum 5 December 2004 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979


note: the Transitional National Government formed in August 2000 has a mandate to create a new constitution and hold elections within three years
Country name conventional long form: Central African Republic


conventional short form: none


local long form: Republique Centrafricaine


local short form: none


former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire


abbreviation: CAR
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Somalia


former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic
Currency - Somali shilling (SOS)
Death rate 20.27 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 17.64 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $881.4 million (2000 est.) $2.6 billion (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires James PANOS


embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui


mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui


telephone: [236] 61 02 00


FAX: [236] 61 44 94


note: the embassy is currently operating with a minimal staff
the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at Mombasa Road; mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2) 537800; FAX [254] (2) 537810
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY


chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800


FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893
Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991); note - the TNG and other factions have representatives in Washington and at the United Nations
Disputes - international about 30,000 refugees fleeing the 2002 civil conflict in the CAR still reside in southern Chad; periodic skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border with southern Sudan persist "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities to land-locked Ethiopia and establish commercial ties with regional states; "Puntland" secessionists clash with "Somaliland" secessionists to establish territorial limits and clan loyalties, each seeking support from neighboring states; Ethiopia maintains only an administrative line with the Oromo region of southern Somalia and maintains alliances with local Somali clans opposed to the unrecognized Transitional National Government in Mogadishu
Economic aid - recipient ODA $73 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France (2000 est.) $60 million (1999 est.)
Economy - overview Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with more than 70% of the population living in outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates half of GDP. Timber has accounted for about 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry, for 54%. Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's landlocked position, a poor transportation system, a largely unskilled work force, and a legacy of misdirected macroeconomic policies. Factional fighting between the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization, with GDP growth at only 0.5% in 2004. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs. Somalia's economic fortunes are being driven by its deep political divisions. The northern area has declared its independence as "Somaliland"; the central area, Puntland, is a self-declared autonomous state; and the remaining southern portion is riddled with the struggles of rival factions. Economic life continues, in part because much activity is local and relatively easily protected. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings, but Saudi Arabia's recent ban on Somali livestock, because of Rift Valley Fever concerns, has severely hampered the sector. Nomads and semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, fish, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports, while sugar, sorghum, corn, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and sold as scrap metal. Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia's service sector has managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted throughout the country, handling between $200 million and $500 million in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate, and security is provided by militias. The ongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have interfered with any broad-based economic development and international aid arrangements. In 2002 Somalia's overdue financial obligations to the IMF continued to grow.
Electricity - consumption 98.58 million kWh (2002) 227.9 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 106 million kWh (2002) 245.1 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m


highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m
Environment - current issues tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
Ethnic groups Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2% Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs 30,000)
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000) Somali shillings per US dollar - 11,000 (November 2000), 2,620 (January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January 1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995)


note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent country not recognized by any foreign government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling
Executive branch chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup)


head of government: Prime Minister Elie DOTE (since 13 June 2005) note - Celestin GAOMBALET resigned 11 June 2005


cabinet: Council of Ministers


elections: president elected to five year term with a two-term limit; next presidential elections scheduled for 10 April 2005; prime minister appointed by the political party with a parliamentary majority
chief of state: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan (since 26 August 2000); note - as of December 2002, there was no executive branch in southern Somalia; Interim President ABDIKASSIM was chosen for a three-year term by a 245-member National Assembly serving as a transitional government but has little power and was due to leave office in August 2003; the political situation, particularly in the south, with interclan fighting and random banditry, remains fluid


head of government: Prime Minister HASSAN Abshir Farah (since 12 November 2001)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and sworn in on 20 October 2000; as of 1 January 2002, the Cabinet was in caretaker status following a no-confidence vote in October 2001 that ousted HASSAN's predecessor


election results: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan was elected president of an interim government at the Djibouti-sponsored Arta Peace Conference on 26 August 2000 by a broad representation of Somali clans that comprised a transitional National Assembly
Exports NA NA (2001)
Exports - commodities diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal
Exports - partners Belgium 39.2%, Italy 8.6%, Spain 7.9%, US 6.2%, France 6.1%, Indonesia 5.8%, China 4.9% (2004) UAE 45.6%, Yemen 24.3%, Oman 9.5% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year NA
Flag description four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; there is a yellow five-pointed star on the hoist side of the blue band light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN
GDP - purchasing power parity - $4.27 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 55%


industry: 20%


services: 25% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 65%


industry: 10%


services: 25% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $600 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 0.5% (2004 est.) 3.5% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 7 00 N, 21 00 E 10 00 N, 49 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal
Government - note - although an interim government was created in 2000 other governing bodies continue to exist and control various cities and regions of the country, including Somaliland, Puntland, and traditional clan and faction strongholds
Highways total: 23,810 km


paved: 643 km


unpaved: 23,167 km (1999 est.)
total: 22,100 km


paved: 2,608 km


unpaved: 19,492 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 0.7%


highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Imports NA NA (2001)
Imports - commodities food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials, qat
Imports - partners France 17.6%, US 16.3%, Cameroon 9.3%, Belgium 5% (2004) Djibouti 29.8%, Kenya 13.6%, Brazil 10.5%, Thailand 4.7%, UK 4.4%, UAE 4.3% (2002)
Independence 13 August 1960 (from France) 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)
Industrial production growth rate 3% (2002) NA%
Industries gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum refining (mostly shut down), wireless communication
Infant mortality rate total: 91 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 97.84 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 83.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 120.34 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 129.84 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 110.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.6% (2001 est.) over 100% (businesses print their own money)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 3 (one each in Boosaaso, Hargeisa, and Mogadishu) (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 2,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court (3 judges appointed by the president, 3 by the president of the National Assembly, and 3 by fellow judges); Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Inferior Courts following the breakdown of national government, most regions have reverted to either Islamic (Shari'a) law with a provision for appeal of all sentences, or traditional clan-based arbitration
Labor force NA 3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and services 29%
Land boundaries total: 5,203 km


border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km
total: 2,340 km


border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km
Land use arable land: 3.1%


permanent crops: 0.14%


other: 96.76% (2001)
arable land: 1.66%


permanent crops: 0.04%


other: 98.3% (1998 est.)
Languages French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
Legal system based on French law no national system; Shari'a and secular courts are in some localities
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms


elections: last held 22-23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to be held 13 March 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD 9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%, independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD 6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7
unicameral National Assembly


note: fledgling parliament; a transitional 245-member National Assembly began to meet on 13 August 2000 in the town of Arta, Djibouti and is now based in Mogadishu
Life expectancy at birth total population: 43.39 years


male: 43.27 years


female: 43.52 years (2005 est.)
total population: 47.34 years


male: 45.67 years


female: 49.05 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 51%


male: 63.3%


female: 39.9% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 37.8%


male: 49.7%


female: 25.8% (2001 est.)
Location Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 200 NM
Merchant marine - none (2002 est.)
Military branches Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Ground Forces, Air Force; General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG), Republican Guard (2004) A Somali National Army was attempted under the interim government; numerous factions and clans maintain independent militias, and the Somaliland and Puntland regional governments maintain their own security and police forces
Military expenditures - dollar figure $15.5 million (2004) $17.1 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1% (2004) 0.9% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 1,942,244 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 1,072,689 (2003 est.)
National holiday Republic Day, 1 December (1958) Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June (1960) in Somaliland
Nationality noun: Central African(s)


adjective: Central African
noun: Somali(s)


adjective: Somali
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season
Natural resources diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 5.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 15 km
Political parties and leaders Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Jacques MBOLIEDAS]; Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic Forum for Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [the party of deposed president, Ange-Felix PATASSE]; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA]; People's Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre Sammy MAKFOY]; National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE] none
Political pressure groups and leaders NA numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power
Population 3,799,897


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.)
8,025,190


note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA (1993) NA%
Population growth rate 1.49% (2005 est.) 3.43% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga Boosaaso, Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002) AM 0, FM 11, shortwave 1 in Mogadishu; 1 FM in Puntland, 1 FM in Somaliland (2001)
Railways - 0 km
Religions indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%


note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
Sunni Muslim
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 21 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: fair system


domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication


international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: the public telecommunications system was almost completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions; private wireless companies offer service in most major cities and charge the lowest international rates on the continent


domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers


international: international connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite
Telephones - main lines in use 9,000 (2002) 15,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 13,000 (2003) NA
Television broadcast stations 1 (2001) 4


note: two in Mogadishu; two in Hargeisa (2001)
Terrain vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
Total fertility rate 4.5 children born/woman (2005 est.) 6.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.) NA%
Waterways 2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2004) none
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